Experts are sounding the alarm about the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to interfere with the upcoming primary and presidential elections in 2024. Threat actors are using AI to enhance their attacks and bypass security measures, while researchers are using AI tools to develop defensive strategies. James Turgal, Vice President of Cyber Risk, Strategy, and Board Relations at Optiv, warns that generative AI poses a significant threat. He highlights the potential for AI to disrupt the security of party election offices, volunteers, and state election systems. Turgal emphasizes that both the government and private sector must work together to mitigate these threats. He suggests implementing policies to defend against social engineering attacks, providing deepfake video training for staff, and ensuring that AI tools, such as chatbots, provide accurate information on elections.

Chris Mattmann, Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, acknowledges that AI-generated voices could potentially sway voters' decisions, creating a challenge for attribution and detection. The rapid advancement of voice cloning software is attributed to data collected by virtual voice assistants. Mattmann also mentions that AI-manipulated content is not only used by threat actors but also by political groups and politicians. Efforts have been made to experiment with labels that inform voters about AI-generated campaign products, but adoption of these rules remains limited. Overall, there is a pressing need to address the challenges posed by AI in order to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.